The death toll from tribal violence between Arabs and non-Arabs in Sudan’s West Darfur province has risen to at least 83, as sporadic violence continued Sunday.
Sudan’s ruling sovereign council met Sunday and confirmed security forces would be deployed to the area.
Witnesses who spoke to Africa24.news said the deadly clashes grew out of a fist fight Friday between two people in a camp for displaced people in Genena, the provincial capital. An Arab man was stabbed to death and his family, from the Arab Rizeigat tribe, attacked the people in the Krinding camp and other areas Saturday.
The violence led to local authorities imposing a round-the-clock curfew on the entire province. Besides the 83 killed, at least 160 others were wounded, according to Sudan’s doctors’ committee in West Darfur. Sudanese troops were among the wounded.
The witnesses said the clashes subsided by midday on Sunday and the security situation started to improve.
The doctor’s committee is part of the Sudanese Professionals Association, which spearheaded a popular uprising that eventually led to the military’s ouster of long-time autocratic president Omar al-Bashir in April 2019.
The frequent clashes pose a challenge to efforts by Sudan’s transitional government to end decades-long rebellions in areas like Darfur, where most people live in camps for the displaced and refugees.
